By Tricitynews Reporter
Chandigarh
17th July:- Snacking
conjures up images of something crunchy, nutritious and healthy, according to
majority of urban
affluent parents, when they want to toss out the junk food and make snack time
happy and healthy for their kids. According to a recent survey by Ipsos, a
market research company, about 83% of respondents feel that their
kids remain more energetic throughout the day after consuming almonds.
The
quantitative study by Ipsos aimed to understand snacking habits among kids aged
6-14 years from the parents’ perspective in Tier I cities vs Tier II cities,
whether it’s driven by taste or nutrition or both. The results indicate a growing preference for healthy
snacking. However, taste is still a major criterion.
A
total of 3038 affluent urban parents between 23-55 years were interviewed
across Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad,
Chandigarh, Nagpur, Bhopal and Coimbatore.
Urban affluent parents, strive to
make their children’s snacks yummy, hot and crispy, while also wanting them to
be healthy, crunchy, and nutritious, indicating a positive shift in mindset towards healthy snacking.
Ritika
Samaddar, popular Delhi based nutritionist, said that this study indicates a
promising trend towards healthy snacking with increasing number of affluent
parents in urban centers seeing long-term value in maintaining a healthy family
lifestyle that includes healthy snacking for their kids. By motivating children
to take part in active sports and including healthier snacking options like a
handful of almonds every day, parents can play an effective role in their children’s
healthy future.
The
Ipsos study also found that mothers rank ‘almonds specifically’ (94% of the
total respondents) as the healthiest form of snacking. Parents believe that
almonds help to boost brain development and are very
essential for healthy and stronger bones in addition to providing daily dose of
energy.
The findings from the survey also
reveal that kids tend to snack more when they are hungry, followed by when they
are happy or excited. Seventy percent of respondents prefer to snack mostly in
the evenings-; though mid-morning and afternoon snacking is rampant as well. Further,
a whopping 94% of the urban affluent parents from Mumbai polled say that they
choose healthier options of snacking for their children all the time, followed
by Delhi (92%), Nagpur (92%) and Coimbatore (87%).
Sheela
Krishnaswamy, a well-known Bangalore based Diet, Nutrition & Wellness
Consultant, said that snacking is an effective
way to fit much needed nutrients into your child’s diet and if the right kind
of food is offered at the right time, snacks can play an important role in
managing kids’ hunger and boosting nutrition. Hence, it is important to
incorporate healthy snacking habits by munching on healthier options like
fruits or sprouts or a handful of almonds that promote feeling of fullness
while also keeping your child energized through the day. Almonds are a
natural source of many essential nutrients, including protein and healthy fats,
making them a nutrient-rich snack for your kids. Furthermore, the survey shows an interesting
preference between Tier I and Tier II cities for branded vs homemade snacks.
While 50% of the kids in Tier I cities prefer branded foods such as two-minute
noodles and oats followed by unbranded foods such as pani-puri; on the contrary
half of the surveyed kids in Tier II cities prefer homemade food.
Across
cities fruits, biscuits, and almonds are the three most popular snacking
options that parents prefer between meals and when hunger strikes their
children. Not surprisingly, 91% of mothers in Tier I cities and 97% in Tier II
cities rank almonds to be their first choice for their kids when it comes to
healthier snacking options.
Madhuri Ruia,
Mumbai based nutritionist, said that healthy
eating is quite essential for a child's growth and development. Ensuring that
your little one is receiving all of the essential vitamins, minerals, protein
and calories that he/she needs to grow strong and healthy isn't always easy.
Yet, it's important to teach these healthy eating habits early on, considering
childhood obesity and diabetes are on rise on account of unhealthy snacking and
sedentary lifestyle. In this context, the survey findings indicating higher
preference for healthy snacks for kids such as fruits and nuts like almonds
across cities and regions are encouraging.
